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Fact of the Day - RAINBOWS Did you know.... Most of us think of rainbows as arches that stretch across the sky, but in reality, every rainbow forms a complete circle. That circle is centered on the point in the sky directly opposite the sun — the same direction your shadow points. From the ground, the horizon blocks the lower half of that circle, so you usually see only the rainbow’s upper arc. The higher your vantage point, the more of that hidden circle you can see. From airplanes, observers can sometimes view the complete circular rainbow, since nothing blocks the ring’s lower half from that perspective. Photographs taken from research and weather aircraft often capture those full rings floating in clouds, revealing the rainbow’s true shape. A rainbow is formed by the way sunlight interacts with millions of tiny raindrops. As light enters a droplet, it bends (refracts), reflecting off the inside of the droplet, and then bends again as it exits. Those changes in direction separate the light into its different colors and direct them back toward your eyes. Only the droplets positioned at a specific angle relative to the sun — about 42 degrees for red light, for instance — send color your way. Every raindrop that sends light to your eye does so at the same angle from the point opposite the sun, and all the droplets at that shared angle form a circle around that point, creating that curved colorful band in the sky. Because the effect depends on your exact position relative to the sun, the rainbow you see is tied to your unique viewpoint. Move even a few steps, and a different set of droplets creates slightly different colors. No two people ever see precisely the same rainbow. One of the most recognizable album covers of all time features a rainbow. The prism and color spectrum on Pink Floyd’s 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon is arguably the most iconic rainbow in rock history. The original album artwork, designed by Storm Thorgerson, depicts a beam of white light entering a triangular prism from the left and emerging on the right as a rainbow — though it omits the indigo band typically included in a full spectrum. Source: Rainbows are actually full circles.

What's the Word: REDOUBTABLE pronunciation: [re-DOW-də-bl] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Late Middle English, mid-1300s Meaning: 1. (Of a person) Formidable, especially as an opponent. Examples: "He was a redoubtable chess player, but he still had to fight nerves before every match." "John earned his redoubtable reputation after leading his team to several victories." About Redoubtable This word came from the Old French word "redoutable," which developed from the combination of the words "redouter" ("to fear") and "douter" ("to doubt"). Did you Know? Video game developers specialize in creating formidable opponents. The goal is for a game to start at a moderate level of difficulty, which increases as the player progresses and becomes more familiar with the material. The main villain, often referred to as the "final boss," is the most redoubtable character and the hardest to overcome.

Fact of the Day - LANDFILLS Did you know.... One country’s trash can be another’s treasure. In Sweden, household waste is valuable because it helps create energy. Only about 1% of the country’s trash ends up in landfills; 49% is recycled, and the remaining 50% is incinerated at one of Sweden’s “waste-to-energy” power plants. There, heat from burned trash is used to generate energy in the same way that power plants burn coal or gas. Waste-powered electricity makes up a small fraction of Sweden’s power grid overall, however: Nuclear, hydro, and wind power account for 90% of the country’s electrical energy use. Still, Sweden’s high-heat disposal of garbage is so effective that the nation imports trash from nearby countries to keep its incinerators running. Incinerating trash may seem like an easy solution to minimizing use of landfills, but some environmental experts say doing so isn’t the best solution. That’s because burning trash releases pollutants into the atmosphere, and doesn’t reduce the production of plastic products, which are made from fossil fuels. Nevertheless, Sweden remains a global leader in recycling efforts. In 1984, the country enacted a deposit system — called “pant” — for aluminum cans (with plastic bottles following 10 years later), in which reverse vending machines accept bottles and cans and then print off deposit vouchers that can be redeemed at grocery stores. In 2020, the country edged closer to its “zero waste” goal, with Swedes recycling a staggering 94% of their glass and 78% of discarded paper products. Almost all food waste in South Korea is recycled. While technically biodegradable, food waste can have negative effects on the environment — particularly when it ends up in a landfill and produces methane, a greenhouse gas. That’s why South Korea began banning food from landfills in 2005 and instead has a robust recycling program that encourages composting and food reuse. Today, about 95% of food waste in South Korea is recycled, compared to 2% at the time the ban was enacted. Citizens who don’t compost can take food scraps to an area recycling station, where their trash is weighed and logged; households then receive a monthly bill based on the amount they toss out. Collected food is turned into fertilizer or animal feed, and methane and natural gases produced during the recycling process (called biogas) are also used to create energy that fuels the recycling facility, giving each tossed scrap a second opportunity to help nourish the planet. Source: Less than 1% of household garbage in Sweden ends up in a landfill.

What's the Word: SOLATIUM pronunciation: [sə-LAY-shee-əm] Part of speech: noun Origin: Latin, early 19th century Meaning: 1. (Formal) A thing given to someone as a compensation or consolation. Examples: "Management gave the customers who had been overcharged a free item as a solatium." "Even though his dog came home on her own, Jacob still offered a solatium to everyone who had helped him search." About Solatium This word originated from Latin, and it literally translates to "solace." The meaning of "solace" is "comfort or consolation in a time of distress or sadness." Did you Know? The word "solatium" was first used to describe compensation for emotional (rather than physical) injury in the 1800s. The types of "solatia" (the plural) offered might depend on the relationship between the two parties. While friends may exchange a hug or a card to make up after a fight, a business will likely offer monetary or physical compensation in exchange for any mishaps — such as serving the wrong dish to a customer at a restaurant. The solatium could be a discount on a bill or an extra dessert, for example.

Fact of the Day - RED SPOT Did you know.... Earth’s moon has its craters, Saturn has its rings, and Jupiter has its Great Red Spot. Far more than a cosmetic anomaly, the planet’s most distinctive feature is actually a storm that’s bigger than Earth. The ever-swirling vortex is thought to have been raging for at least 300 years, but up until recently little was known about it. Our knowledge of the 10,000-mile-wide storm expanded around late 2021, after NASA’s Juno mission passed over it twice. According to Paul Byrne of Washington University in St. Louis, the Great Red Spot is “basically clouds” and “not all that dissimilar to the kinds of things we know as cyclones or hurricanes or typhoons on Earth” — just, you know, infinitely larger, older, and more cosmically terrifying. The winds of this particular storm reach 400 miles per hour. No one’s entirely sure why it’s red, although one theory suggests that the color has to do with chemicals being shattered apart by sunlight in the planet’s upper atmosphere. Making the solar system’s largest storm slightly less imposing — but no less fascinating — is the fact that it’s shrinking at a rate of about 580 miles per year. That adds up quite a bit: The Great Red Spot was closer to 30,000 miles long in the late 19th century (nearly three times its current size), and some believe it could vanish entirely within 20 years. Jupiter also has rings. When most of us think of ringed planets, Saturn comes to mind first. But Saturn isn’t the only planet in our solar system with rings: Jupiter has them too, as do fellow gas giants Neptune and Uranus. Relatively faint and composed primarily of dust, the Jovian rings have three main elements: the halo, main ring, and gossamer rings (of which there are two). The halo is wide, doughnut-shaped, and closest to the planet itself. The main ring, which is brighter and thinner, is where the moons Adrastea and Metis orbit; the dust it’s made up of is thought to have been ejected from those two small natural satellites. Then there are the extremely faint, wide gossamer rings, which extend beyond the orbit of moon Amalthea. Jupiter’s rings and moons were recently captured in infrared by the James Webb Space Telescope, offering one of the most stunning views of them yet. Source: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a storm that’s bigger than Earth.

What's the Word: BETIDE pronunciation: [bə-TAHYD] Part of speech: verb Origin: Middle English, mid-1100s Meaning: 1. (Literary) Happen. 2. (With object) Happen to (someone). Examples: "The couple promised to remain loyal to each other, whatever events may betide them." "Woe betide any student who forgot their homework on the final day of class." About Betide This word originated from the now-obsolete Middle English word “tide” (“befall”), which in turn came from the Old English word “tīdan” (“happen”). Did you Know? The phrase “woe betide you” comes from the common use of this medieval word. The word “tide” originated from the obsolete Old English word “tīdan,” used to mean “befall,” while “woe” means “distress.” When combined together, these words are meant to warn someone of the possible consequences of their bad behavior.

Fact of the Day - RESTAURANT ICE Did you know.... From dirty ice machines to tap water concerns and digestion effects, here’s why some people refuse ice in their drinks at restaurants. Many people think a cold drink isn't complete without ice. It’s not unusual for restaurants to serve soda, water, and cocktails with ice cubes to keep beverages cold and refreshing. In the United States, serving drinks with ice is practically the norm. However, some health experts encourage diners to think twice before ordering or accepting a drink with ice. So, why worry about ice? Ice served in restaurants raises questions about cleanliness and digestion. Although seemingly harmless, the ice in your beverage could harbor unwanted bacteria and affect how quickly your body processes food. It's refreshing, sure, but is it safe to drink? Let's take a closer look at the potential risks of consuming restaurant ice. IS CONSUMING RESTAURANT ICE SAFE? Ice might look clear and clean, but the way it's made and stored in restaurants could cause a few internal issues. Many restaurants rely on ice machines to produce large quantities of ice throughout the day. These machines can become riddled with bacteria if they aren't cleaned regularly and properly. When maintenance is overlooked, germs can grow inside the machine and contaminate the ice it produces. Once the contaminated ice ends up in a customer's glass, those bacteria don't stay frozen; they melt and filter through the water you're drinking. As the cubes dissolve, microbes mix with the liquid just in time for you to take a sip. Another issue is the source of the water used to make the ice. If the ice is made with regular tap water rather than filtered water, it might not match the quality of the beverage itself. For example, someone might pay for bottled water with a meal but still end up drinking melted tap water from the ice cubes in the glass. More often than not, restaurants have a water filter attached to their ice machines. But if your ice has an unsettling taste, odor, and color, it might be contaminated. Moral of the story: ice may not be as clean as it looks. Even though restaurants are expected to follow hygiene rules, ice machines aren't always cleaned as frequently as they should be, which can allow bacteria to build up over time. DOES ICE SLOW YOUR DIGESTION? In addition to hygiene concerns, ice can also potentially affect your digestion. Health experts note that cold beverages consumed during meals might slow down the digestion process. In some cases, drinking icy beverages in tandem with meals can also increase the possibility of experiencing acid reflux and can slow the breakdown of food in the digestive system. While evidence suggests that cold drinks can trigger acid reflux symptoms in certain individuals, some professionals argue that the digestive impact of cold water is a myth because the body regulates temperature so rapidly that it has no significant impact. While having ice in your drink from time to time is unlikely to cause major health risks, it can still trigger digestive discomfort. Because of this, some people ask for water without ice, especially when eating. (NO) ICE ICE BABY Ice has become a typical part of dining culture at restaurants, particularly in places where people expect their beverages to be very cold. However, some medical professionals suggest it might be a habit worth reconsidering. Ice machines that aren't routinely cleaned can harbor bacteria that enter your body with each gulp, and cold beverages can interfere with digestion and increase the risk of experiencing acid reflux. Asking for drinks without ice or checking whether a restaurant uses filtered water is a great way to exclude bacteria from your dining experience and improve your overall digestive health. Source: Is Restaurant Ice Safe to Drink? What to Know

What's the Word: RIMOSE pronunciation: [RY-mohs] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, late 17th century Meaning: 1. (Mycology) Now especially of a fungus or lichen: cracked, fissured. Examples: "The lichens have a rimose surface." "The driveway was rimose after the earthquake." About Rimose This word hails from the classical Latin “rīmōsus,” meaning “full of cracks, fissured.” It’s originally from “rīma,” meaning “cleft, crack, fissure.” Did you Know? “Rimose” is a word often used to describe crustose lichens, a fungal material that forms a bumpy crust that often ends up being a bright color. Many species use lichens for food, shelter, and nesting material.

Stunning AND brave!

Crowalt Traces of the Lost Colony free on steam at the moment https://store.steampowered.com/app/1269500/Crowalt_Traces_of_the_Lost_Colony/ Also, if you own Parkitect there is a free dlc for it right now: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1353170/Parkitect__Booms__Blooms/ The base game is on a free trial currently until March 9th it looks like if you're wanting to try it out.

Fact of the Day - HEARING PLANTS Did you know.... Plants may not have ears, but they’re able to detect sound vibrations in ways that would astonish most gardeners. Scientific research has revealed some plants perceive and respond to acoustic signals in their environment. They then use those vibrations to make crucial decisions about defense, growth, and even reproduction. In 2019, biologist Lilach Hadany of Tel Aviv University discovered evening primroses can pick up the specific frequencies of bees’ wings. Within minutes, the plants increase their nectar’s sugar concentration, making themselves more attractive to the visiting pollinators. Hadany surmised that the flower’s bowl-shaped blossoms act as an earlike structure, helping to detect the vibrations. And in 2014, researchers at the University of Missouri found that when a caterpillar chews on the leaves of a plant, it creates distinctive vibrations that travel through the plant’s tissues. Some plants can detect those very specific vibrations and perceive them as a threat; they then engage their chemical defenses, producing compounds that make their leaves less palatable to the munching insects. Researchers refer to this as “hearing” because the plants aren’t just reacting to being touched or shaken — they’re “listening” for the unique “sounds” (vibrational rhythms) of the specific input (such as a predator chewing). Remarkably, the study showed plants can distinguish between different vibrations, whether it’s a munching insect or another mechanical disturbance such as the wind or raindrops — activating their defenses only when genuinely threatened. Further studies have shown plants can even use sound to navigate their environment. In 2014, researchers discovered that plant roots are capable of locating water sources by sensing the vibrations generated by moving water — further evidence that plants can sense more than we give them credit for. The long-eared jerboa has the largest ears relative to its body size. African elephants possess the largest ears on our planet, typically measuring a mighty 6 feet long and 5 feet wide. But the creature with the largest ears relative to its body size is the tiny — and unbelievably adorable — long-eared jerboa (Euchoreutes naso). This minuscule, nocturnal rodent, native to the deserts of Mongolia and China, was first caught on film in 2007. It measures just 4 inches from head to rump (not counting its long, spindly tail) and weighs between 24 and 38 grams. Its lovably large ears, which help shed excess body heat in hot, dry environments, are 1.5 to 2 inches long — roughly 40% to 50% the length of its body. Source: Some plants can ‘hear.’

What's the Word: TONIC pronunciation: [TAH-nik] Part of speech: noun Origin: French, mid-17th century Meaning: 1. Something with an invigorating effect. 2. The first note in a scale which, in conventional harmony, provides the keynote of a piece of music. Examples: "Layla knew she needed to drink the tonic even though it tasted bitter." "The tonic in his original composition was a very high note." About Tonic This word comes from the French “tonique” by way of the Greek “tonikos,” meaning “of or for stretching.” Did you Know? “Tonic” is commonly used as a noun but can also be used as an adjective in several different ways. In phonetics, a tonic is “denoting or relating to the syllable within a tone group that has greatest prominence, because it carries the main change of pitch.” And in physiology, it means “relating to, denoting, or producing continuous muscular contraction.”

https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/turnip-boy-robs-a-bank-3fae0e Turnip Boy Robs a Bank is currently free on Epic Games. https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/idle-champions-of-the-forgotten-realms Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Raistlin's Renown Pack is currently free on Epic Games. https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/rockman2000-eb2f84 BrightGunner is currently free on Epic Games. https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/little-nightmares-android-9ac815 https://store.epicgames.com/p/little-nightmares-ios-714075 Little Nightmares is currently free on Epic Games for Android and iOS devices. https://store.epicgames.com/p/idle-champions-of-the-forgotten-realms-android-6df748 https://store.epicgames.com/p/idle-champions-of-the-forgotten-realms-ios-77e761 Idle Champions of the Forgotten Realms: Raistlin's Renown Pack is currently free on Epic Games for Android and iOS devices.

Fact of the Day - HUMMINGBIRDS Did you know.... Hummingbirds sometimes seem otherworldly compared to other feathered friends. They see more colors than the human eye does and can even enter a deathlike state to survive frigid winter nights. But their most remarkable ability has to do with their incredibly fast-moving wings, with the fastest flapping upwards of 70 times per second. Thanks to those incredible appendages, hummingbirds can hover — and they’re the only species of bird that can do so on their own for a sustained period of time. Hummingbirds can also move up, down, left, right, forward, and yes, even backward (another unique ability), reaching speeds of 75 miles per hour. According to Audubon, the hummingbird also has really sensitive “brakes” and can switch from flying 25 miles per hour to coming to a dead stop within the length of a human index finger. How are hummingbirds such aerial aces? Well, most birds achieve lift only when flapping their wings down, but hummingbirds swish their wings in a side-to-side, figure-eight pattern, which is more characteristic of an insect than a bird. (The feat has earned them the excellent nickname “hummingbugs.”) Although hummingbirds have evolved to use their wing muscles efficiently, their tiny bodies have an incredibly high metabolism, which means the creatures must constantly hunt for food to survive. Remarkably, hummingbirds can drain up to 10 drops of nectar from a flower in 15 milliseconds (or one-hundredth of a second). Hummingbirds are found only in the Americas, but they originated in Europe. Hummingbirds are so unlike other birds that scientists still don’t quite understand their origins. One lingering mystery: why hundreds of species of hummingbirds can be found in the Americas when absolutely zero are seen zipping around Europe. The situation is particularly strange because hummingbirds appear to have originated in Europe, breaking away from swifts — their closest avian cousin — around 45 million to 55 million years ago, with the earliest hummingbird-like fossils found in Germany. One theory suggests that the birds migrated across a former land bridge between Siberia and Alaska, although it’s not clear why. It’s also possible that the Old World fossils and the New World species represent a case of convergent evolution: when two unrelated species develop the same attributes in response to similar pressures in their environment. For now, the true story of hummingbird evolution remains a mystery. Source: Hummingbirds are the only birds that can hover.

What's the Word: RURITANIAN pronunciation: [rə-rə-TAY-nyən] Part of speech: adjective Origin: Latin, late 1890s Meaning: 1. Relating to or characteristic of the imaginary kingdom of Ruritania from the novels of Anthony Hope, especially with reference to romantic adventure and intrigue. Examples: "David planned a Ruritanian trip to several exotic locales." "My daydreams can become quite Ruritanian." About Ruritanian “Ruritanian” hails from the Latin “rus,” meaning "rural," and the Latinate ending “-itania.” British author Anthony Hope helped create the term in one of his novels. Did you Know? British author Anthony Hope published his mythical novel, “The Prisoner of Zenda,” in 1894. It quickly grew in popularity, capturing readers’ imaginations with its sense of adventure, courtly romances, heroes, and sword fights. Shortly after the book’s release, George Bernard Shaw used the story’s fictional locale, Ruritania, as an adjective: “Our common sense … must immediately put a summary stop to the somewhat silly Ruritanian gambols of our imagination.” It's an obscure term for fanciful places and attitudes, but perhaps it deserves to be brought back?

Fact of the Day - KERMIT THE FROG Did you know.... It’s not easy being green, whether you’re an amphibian or a reptile — just ask Kermit, the lovable Muppet who originally debuted as a lizard-like creature. The first Kermit puppet had a slender body, rounded feet, and lacked the pointed collar the current Kermit has — features that gave off a nondescript, vaguely reptilian appearance. It was designed in 1955 by creator Jim Henson using materials taken from his mother’s old coat, a pair of his blue jeans, and ping-pong balls for eyeballs. The resulting puppet was not assigned a specific species — Henson preferred somewhat abstract characters — but he looked more like a lizard than a frog. Kermit — in his original lizardy form — made his TV debut in 1955 on the comedy show Sam and Friends. Afterward, the puppet underwent alterations that gave it a more frog-like appearance, such as flippers for feet. People began informally referring to Kermit as a frog, including late-night host Johnny Carson in 1965. Henson himself began describing Kermit as a frog-type Muppet by the late ’60s, though these were still unofficial designations. According to Henson, Kermit didn’t officially transform into a frog until the 1971 TV special The Frog Prince, by which point he was formally credited as “Kermit the Frog.” According to Disney (the current parent company of the Muppets), Henson once said that Kermit’s evolution wasn’t a carefully orchestrated decision: “He just slowly became a frog.” “The Muppet Show” was produced in England. Despite its status as an American cultural institution, The Muppet Show is a product of the United Kingdom. In the early 1970s, Jim Henson pitched the concept to many major U.S. TV networks, all of which passed on the idea. But he got a lucky break in 1975 when he was approached by British media mogul Lew Grade. Grade had seen Muppets make cameos on other TV programs and decided the characters deserved a show of their own. The original Muppet Show was filmed at a studio in the English village of Elstree, debuting on the U.K.’s ATV on September 5, 1976, before making its U.S. debut in syndication later that month. Source: Kermit the Frog was originally closer to a lizard.

What's the Word: FRUITION pronunciation: [froo-ISH-ən] Part of speech: noun Origin: Old French and Latin, early 15th century Meaning: 1. The point at which a plan or project is realized. 2. The state or action of producing fruit. Examples: "Everything started falling into place as her plan came to fruition." "The chemist’s lab research came to fruition." About Fruition “Fruition” originates from the Latin verb “frui,” meaning “to enjoy.” Did you Know? Even though “fruition” and “fruit” both come from the Latin verb “frui,” they were developed independent of each other. In fact, when “fruition” was first used in the 1400s, it simply meant “pleasurable use or possession.” It wasn’t until the 1800s that the word developed its modern-day definition: “the state of bearing fruit.” This newer definition might be a simple case of mistaken etymology; regardless, the meaning has expanded into metaphorical language.

Fact of the Day - HAIR Did you know..... Gold is present in low levels throughout the Earth. It’s been found on every continent except Antarctica, as well as in the planet’s core, the oceans, plants, and in humans, too. The average human body of about 150 pounds is said to contain about .2 milligrams of gold, which we excrete through our skin and hair. Babies less than 3 months old tend to have more gold in their manes than older people, thanks to the precious metal being passed along in human breast milk. And while no one’s suggesting we should mine the gold in hair or breast milk (as far as we know), researchers are studying whether gold — and other metals — might be recovered from human waste. Gold is far from the only metal found in our bodies, however. Researchers estimate that 2.5% of the human body’s mass is made up of metals; think iron, cobalt, copper, zinc, calcium, and more. Many of these metals have important health functions — gold helps transmit electrical signals throughout the body, and plays a role in maintaining our joints. As for how gold and other precious metals got to Earth in the first place, some astrophysicists believe it’s all thanks to two neutron stars that crashed into each other about 4.6 billion years ago, leading to residual deposits of gold, silver, platinum, and more that eventually settled on our planet. Because these elements eventually found their way into our bodies, we can say that we truly are made of star stuff. Olympic gold medals are made mostly from silver. According to the International Olympic Committee, athletes’ gold medals must be composed of at least 92.5% silver and plated with about 6 grams of pure gold. (Silver medals are authentically advertised as solid silver, yet bronze medals are actually 95% copper and 5% zinc.) However, genuine gold medals were briefly part of the Olympic Summer Games. In the St. Louis 1904 Games — the first Olympiad where the modern medal configuration was observed — top finishers received medals made entirely of gold. The practice ended after the 1912 Olympics in Stockholm, after World War I led to gold shortages. Cold-weather winners never had the chance to take home fully gold hardware, as the Olympic Winter Games launched in 1924. Source: Human hair contains traces of gold.

What's the Word: ASTIR pronunciation: [ə-STER] Part of speech: adjective Origin: English, 18th century Meaning: 1. In a state of excited movement. 2. Awake and out of bed. Examples: "The subway station was astir with traffic, buskers, and uncertain tourists." "John was surprised to find that his children were astir and preparing for school." About Astir This word developed from the combination of “a” (“on”) and the noun “stir” (a slight physical movement). Did you Know? Every metropolis has the reputation of being astir at all hours, but none more so than New York City. While NYC is the OG “City That Never Sleeps,” other cities have also assumed this bustling moniker, from Las Vegas, Nevada, to Tokyo, Japan.

World Crafter TD is currently free to keep on Steam https://store.steampowered.com/app/3098890/World_Crafter_TD

Same. I'd very much like to see 8 get the remake treatment. Though I want it to be in one whole game, not a trilogy (lmao) and I would love to see Laguna's stuff more developed like originally intended.

Meanwhile they re-released the original FF7 on PC to include the few cheat options that the latest console ports had... and literally botched it, released with no game .exe and they had to fix that... only for the game to be severely broken and have issues the original port didn't have, meanwhile none of the PC mods work with it either and all have to be reworked. So... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Fact of the Day - OYSTERS Did you know.... Within 12 hours of their birth, oysters begin pulling calcium out of the water to create their signature shells. For the first few weeks of their lives, these newborn bivalves zoom around in a current until they eventually settle on some hard substrate, whether it’s a rock, pier, or another oyster. This place of protection is where the oysters will spend the rest of their lives (which can be as long as 20 years). Eventually, usually a year after birth, it’ll be time for the oysters to breed, and that’s where things get interesting. Although born male, oysters have the impressive ability to switch their sex, seemingly at will. Every season, females can release up to 100 million eggs, and the amount of sperm released is so high it’s essentially incalculable. Once the egg and sperm are released, the oysters rely on pure chance for fertilization to take place, as the egg and sperm meet in the open water. Because any resulting larvae are extremely vulnerable to predators (especially filter feeders), oysters have evolutionarily compensated by being one of the most virile and sexually flexible species in the world — meaning that their ability to change sex likely evolved as a matter of survival. This impressive fecundity means that natural oyster reefs can grow to tremendous size; as little as 10 square feet of reef can house up to 500 oysters. Scientists theorize that water temperature could play a role in triggering whatever causes an oyster to change its sex, but many aspects of the process remain a mystery. New York City was once the oyster capital of the world. Before the 17th century, the island of Manahatta (as the Indigenous Lenape called it) was absolutely inundated with oysters. With their impressive filtering abilities, these oysters kept the surrounding estuary clean, and they also became a staple of the Lenape diet. When Henry Hudson’s ships sailed the river that would one day bear his name in 1609, the New York estuary was estimated to be home to 350 square miles of oyster reef — roughly half the world’s entire oyster population. The original names for Ellis and Liberty islands were “Little Oyster Island” and “Great Oyster Island,” respectively, and one of the oldest streets in Manhattan — Pearl Street — is named after an Indigenous oyster shell midden located along the shore (it was later paved, fittingly, with oyster shells). New Yorkers also began eating lots of oysters, upwards of 1 million a day at the industry’s height, while shipping millions abroad. Sadly, overharvesting and environmental degradation caused oysters to severely decline in New York’s waters, and by 1927 they were deemed too contaminated to eat. Today, groups are reintroducing oysters to New York Harbor, and wild populations are beginning to return. Although these oysters are already hard at work cleaning the estuary while providing important aquatic habitats, it’ll likely be a century until New York oysters are once again safe for human consumption. Source: Oysters can change sex multiple times during their lives.

What's the Word: TARRY pronunciation: [TEHR-ee] Part of speech: verb Origin: Middle English, late 1200s Meaning: 1. Stay longer than intended; delay leaving a place. Examples: "The cottage was so cozy that the travelers tarried past their planned departure time." "Since classes were cancelled, Kyle had time to tarry." About Tarry While “tarry” can be traced back to Middle English in the late 1200s and early 1300s, both its origins and original meaning are uncertain. Did you Know? While “tarry” describes staying longer than intended or delaying leaving a place, sometimes people purposely try to delay something. The word that describes this is “stall.” While someone might accidentally tarry, someone trying to stall is trying to extend the amount of time they have before something occurs, such as a particularly anxiety-inducing live performance.

Welp...Tactics happened and still no word on 9 after yet another TWO Summer Games Fests & Game Awards since my last post. Not cool, Squeenix, not cool!